Washing machine



A. O. ENGBERG ET AL.

WASHING MACHINE 7 Filed Oct. 13, 1928 imam? 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N v/v v a/9s A XEL 01. 01-- [Name Ar rx April 18, 1933. Q E'NGBERG r WASHING MACHINE f Filed oci. 15,4928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Am 5 9 A. on ENGBERG ET AL WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13, 1928 4 Sheets-Shet s M 1933- A. 0. ENGBERG ET AL WASHING MACHINE 4: Sheeta-$heet I 4 Filed Oct. 13, 1928 E1 rim l/vvmro/ea Axa 01.0F fA/GBERG ERIK AH/vs T JM Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE AXEL OLOF ENGBERG AND ERIK AHNSTROM, OF STOOKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNORS TO INVEN'I'IA IPATENT-VERWERTUNGS-GESELLSCHAFT, OF SCHAFFHAUSEN, SWITZER LAND, A CORPORATION OF SWITZERLAND Y WASHING MACHINE Application filed October 13, 1928, Serial No. 312,314, and in Sweden October 15, 1927.

The. present invention relates to washing machines and particularly to machines which comprise a container for the clothes to be washed and the washing liquid, a crank arrangement in said container, a member combined with said crank arrangement and drlving means effecting relative planetary moverangement that it encloses those parts of the crank which are Within the container. 1

This and other objects and advantages of, the invention will be clearly described in connection with the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 a plan view of a washing machine according to the invention,

r Fig. 3 is a vertical and Fig. 4 a horizontal section through the machine. Fig. 3a, shows a detail of Fig. 3 on a larger scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 show details of a locking arrangement between the cover and the container of the-machine.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partially in cross-section of a modified embodiment of.

our invention; and

Fig. 8 is a top view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7. I I

The machine will first be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 wherein the principle of the invention is shown.

Acontainer b is provided with a cover consisting of plates 0 and (1. Between plates. 0 and d are arranged a motor e, a worm f, driven by said motor, and a w'orin wheel 9 cooperating with said worm. Worm wheel g is fixed to a shaft 7:. extend ng through plate 0 and into said container 6. One end of a crank arm 9' is connected to shaft 7). while the other end of said arm carries a shaft is on which a roller m or like member is rotatably supported.

When in use, container 6 is filled with clothes or other material to be cleaned and washing liquid to the level indicated in Fig. 7. Motor e is started and roller or agitator screws 26, fixed to a housing 2 a which not only encloses worm 24 but also a worm wheel of the washing machine according to the invention is shown, and in these figures 10 denotes a container preferably pressed from sheet copper and adapted to receive the material to be cleaned and the washing liquid. The wall of container 10 is formed with inwardly pressed inclined ribs 11 and its bot- "tom 12 with a recess 13. The upper edge 14 Y of the container wall is smoothly curved as seen in Fig. 3. The inclined ribs 11' have for their object to give the material enclosed Within the container an upward and downward-motion during operation; they serve also to stiffen the container.

The cover of container 10 consists of a cap 15 and a cover plate 16, the latter forming a base for the driving mechanism of the machine. An electric motor 17 is enclosed in a housing 18. The armature shaft 19 thereof is rotatably supported -in bearings 20 and 21.

Bearing 20 consists of a ball bearing and is arranged in a cover 22 of housing 18. By

means of a coupling 23 of known-construction, spindle 19 is connected with a worm 24 supported in bearing bushing 21 and bushing Bearing bushing 25 is, b means of 28, driven by worm 24. Housing 27 is also provided with a cover which is designated 29. Motor housing 18 andcaring. housing 27 are made in one piece and consist preferably of cast'aluminum or any moulded electrically insulating material, such as phenol condensation products, ebonite, or the like.

Worm wheel 28, which is formed as a frustum of .a cone, is rigidly secured to a bearing bushing 31 arranged housing 32, extending-from the bottom of gearing housing-27. The upper end of shaft 30 abuts against a ball 33 pressed downwards by a. screw 34, in turn secured by a further screw 35, both screws resting in cover 29 of housing 27. The lower end of shaft 30 is connected with acoupling member 37 by means of an electrically insulating coupling 36 of known construction. Coupling 36 is provided'with a collar 38 adapted to prevent the flowing of oil down into container 10.

The driving mechanism of the washing' machine, that is, the motor and the gearing is secured to a stand or, base 40 by means of legs 39 cast integral with housings 18 and 27, the stand 40 being secured to plate 16 by means of screws 41. In stand 40 plugs 42 of electrical insulating material, such as ebonite, are rigidly secured by means of sheetmetal sockets 43 surrounding said plugs and having a flanged upper end 44 and a lower collar 45 rolled against stand 40, as will be seen from Fig. 3. Through plugs 42 screws 46 extend which are screwed into legs'39 and thus connect housings 18 and 27 with stand 40. The center of stand 40 is formed as a bearing housing 47 provided with a bearing bushing 48; Bearing bushing 48 may be of ebonite which requires no lubrication.

The cooling of motor 17 is effected by means of a fan 49 fixed to armature shaft 19. Air is sucked in through openings 50 formed in cap 15 and openings 51 in cover 22, passes over motor 17, leaves through openings 52 in housing 18, passes through gearing housing 27 and departs finally as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4 through openings 53 in cap 15. In order to prevent overheating of the worm gear, gearing housing 27 v is provided with one or more cooling flanges 54 which radiate heat which is carried away by the current of air. As it is important that cold air from outside the machine be always passed over the driving mechanism, a channel between openings 50 and motor housing cover 22 is formed by a conduit 55, which prevents recirculation of air in the space between cap 15 and plate 16. Conduit 55 is preferably made of rubber and provided with a ringshaped groove which fits over a flanged rim 56 of cover 22.

In order to protect ball bearing 20 against dirt and otherimpurities, it is covered by a cap 57 secured to cover 22 by means of screws 58, the cap at the same time serving to retain the bearing in place. Housing 18 is provided with two projections 59 corresponding to two similar projections 60 arran ed on'cover 22, said projections being adapte to receive screws 61 connecting housing 18 with cover 22. One of the projections on housing 18 is formed as a support 62 for two electric contact pins 63. Pins 63 are secured to a socket 64 of insulating material which is fixed to support 62 by means of a screw 65. opening 66 adapted to receive the contact plug connected with the current supply cable is formed in cap 15.

Cap 15 and plate 16 are held together by means'of asingle screw nut 67, screwed on the top of cover 29,- whereby 'cap 15 is clamped between the head of nut 67 and a socket 68 which latter abuts against cover 29. Screw nut67 as well as socket 68 are preferably made of electrical insulating material. Thus, it is evident that if housings 18 and 27 and their covers 22 and 29 are not made of electrical insulating material but of metal or metal composition, these parts of the machine to which the electric conductors are apt to become grounded, will be insulated from the remaining parts of the machine by means of coupling 36, plugs 42, pipe 55 and nut 67 and socket 68, which fact is of great importance for a domestic machine and especially for a machine which is to be used in connection with water and vapour.

The upper end 69 of a crank shaft 70 is screwed into member 37, whereby end 68;? rotatably supported in bearing bushing On the lower end 71 of crank 70, a roller or agitator member 72 or like member is,

rotatably journalled. Roller 72 is provided with two bushings 73 and 74 which surround the upper and lower part of end 71. To the lower bushing 7 4 a ring 75 is rigidly secured and is adapted to revolve on a screw 76 screwed into the end of pin 71. In axial direction of roller 72, a central channel 7 7 is arranged, the lower end of which communicates through holes 78 with a recess 79 in the bottom of roller 72 and thus with the washing liquor in container 10, while the upper end of. the channel communicates through holes 80 with a cup 81 formed in the top of roller 72. Roller 72 is preferably made of sheet copper and is water tight. Cup '81 is constructed to enclose crank shaft 70 and also bearing housing 47 depending from stand 40. The inner walls of cup 81- are smoothly curved and from Fig. 3 it is apparent that the top'82 of roller 72 is bent smoothly-outwards. The edge 83, where the walls of roller 72 and cup 81 meet is provided with a removable rim 84 to which is secured flexible material, such as bristles 85 which, during motion of roller 72, slide against plate 16. The bristles85 are preferably of soft material and rim 84 is placed in a flange 83 of cup 81. Around the surface over which bristles 85 slide during motion, a circular shoulder 86 is pressed into I plate 16.

The container 10 is provided with handles 87. Also cap 15 is provided with handles 88 in order to facilitate the removal thereof together with plate 16 and the driving mechanism enclosed therebetween. Handles 87 69 of crank 70, the cover of container 10- any heat insulating metal composition. Further the handles 88 are made releasable by means of screw bolts 89 and nuts 90.

In order to prevent rotation of the cover (cap 15 and plate 16) in relation to container 10 when roller 72 moves, locking arrangements as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are provided. Between handles 88 and cap 15 sheetmetal pieces 91 are clamped and bent in such manner that they conform to the. structure of the cover. One half of the lower edge of each of said pieces 91 is bent inwardly, thus forming flanges 92 which are inclined and form angles '0 with the horizontal plane and in locking position are adapted to project under hookshaped members 93 fixed to container 10 by means of rivets 94. If the roller in the embodiment shown moves in clockwise direction, as viewed from above, about an axis passing through the upper end thereby has a tendency to move in the opposite direction, that is as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, on account of the resistance that the roller 72, during such rotation receives from the washing material. Flanges 92 of sheet-metal pieces 91, however, lock under hooks 93, thus preventing the cover from further movement. Preferably angle a has suchvalue that container 10 does not follow the cover when the cover is lifted vertically, inasmuch as hooks '93 will slide off flanges 92. I

The cover, consisting of cap 15 and plate 16 connected therewith, and container 10 have been so designed in relation to each other that the cover and the driving arrangements en "closed therein may be turned upside down and-in this position placed on the container, whereby plate 16 serves as the top of the washing machine. To this end handles 88 and sheet-metal pieces 91 are releasable.

These elementsfas well as the removable crank shaft 70 with roller 72, may be placed within container 10. Thus, the entire machine may be packed' in a comparatively small space for storing and shippin' The machine works in the following manner:---

Assume that container 10 is filled with material to be cleaned and the washing liquid, to the level indicated in Fig. 3. Motor 17 is started, by'means of which crank 70 is rotated. Roller or agitator member 72 will thereby be rotated about the axis of the upper end 69 of crank 70 and thus stir the material present in'the container, whereby the roller material will be pressed against the container wall when the roller passes and again be loosened by the liquid current which is produced by the motion of the roller. Due to this repeated pressing and loosening, a desired relative movement between'the wash and the washing liquid is obtained resulting producing an I effective liquid circulation.

From Fig. 3 it is evident that all sharp edges within the container which may damage the' wash have been carefully avoided, the con tainer 10, roller 72 and plate 16 having been constructed so that only. gradual transitions between these different parts exist. In order, under all circumstances, to prevent the material coming into contact with the crank or its hearing or penetrating the space between roller 72 and operation, di erent measures have been taken. To this end firstly, crank 7 0 and bearing 47 are enclosed by the roller, and secondly, the water thrown out of cup 81, ristles 85, rim 86 and the outwardly bent t 82 of roller 72 will prevent the wash from comlate 16 during the washing ing into contact with parts of the machine which might spoil the same.

While we have shown and described precover for said container, said cover comprising a cap and a cover plate, crank meclianism depending from said cover, an agitator member mounted on said mechanism, and.

driving means positioned between said cap and said plate for producing relative planetary movement between said agitator member and said container. 1

2. In a washing machine, a container, a cover for said'container, said cover comprisinga cap and a cover plate, crank mechanism'depending from said cover, an agitator member mounted on said mechanism, driving .mean's positioned between said'cap and said platefor producing relative planetary movement between said agitator member and said container, and automatic locking means for locking said cover and said container against relative motion.

3. In a washing machine, in combination, I

a container,. a cover for said container, a

crank j ournalled in said cover and projecting into said container, driving means mountcd on said cover and operatively connected to said crank, an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank, and means for causing circulation of fluid through said member comprising means forming a passageway therethrough, said passageway extending from the lower central part to the upper outer part of said member.

4. In a washing machine, in combination, a container for holding material to be washed, a cover for said container, a crank journalled in said cover and projecting into said container, driving means mounted on said cover and operatively connected to said crank, an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank, and means for causing cir culation of fluid through said member comprising means forming a passageway therethrough, said passageway extending from the lower central part to the upper outer part of said membenthe upper outer part of said member having sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent entrance therebetween of material to be washed.

5. In a washing machine, in combination, a container for holding material to be washed, a cover for said container, a crank journalled in said cover and projecting intd said container, driving means mounted on said cover and operatively connected to said crank, an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank, means for causing circulation of fluid through said member comprising means forming a passageway therethrough, said passageway extending from the lower central part to the upper outer part of said member, 'andbristles comprising the upper outer part of said member, said bristles having sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent entrance of material to be washed between said member and said cover.

6. In a washing machine, in combination, a container for holding material to be washed, a cover for said container, a crank journalled in said cover and projecting into said container, driving means mounted on said cover and operatively connected to said crank and an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank, the upper part of said member having sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent entrance 'thereb'etween of material to be washed.

7. In a washing machine, in combination, a container for holding material to be washed, a cover for said container, a-crank journalled in said cover and projecting into said container, driving means mounted on said cover and operatively connected to said crank and a member rotatably mounted on said crank, an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank and bristles comprising the upper outer part of said member, said bristles having sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent entrance of material to be washed between said member and said cover.

8. In a washing machine, in combination,

9. In a washing machine, in combination,-

a container for holding material to be washed, 9. cover for said container, a crank journalled in said cover and projecting into said container and an agitator member rotatably mounted onsaid crank, said member totally enclosing the portion of the crank which extends within said container to prevent contact of material to be washed with said crank and having sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent the entrance therebetween ofthe material to be washed.

10. In a washing machine, in combination, a container for holding material to be washed, a cover for said container, a crank journalled in said cover and projecting into said container, an agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank, said member totally enclosing the portion of the crank which extends within said container to prevent contact of material to be washed with said crank,

and bristles comprising the upper outer part of said member, said bristles having'sliding contact with the under side of said cover to prevent entrance of material to be washed etween said member and said cover.

' 11. In a washing machine, a .container for holding material to bewashed, a cover forsaid container, a crank journaled in said covor and extending into said container, means I for rotating said crank, a cylindrical agitator member rotatably mounted on said crank within said container and a resilient rim on said cylindrical member contacting said cover to prevent entrance of material to be washed between said member and said cover.

12. In a washing machine, a container, a

cover for said container, said cover compris'-' ing a cap and a cover plate, crank mechanism depending from said cover, an agitator member mounted on said mechanism, and driving means positioned between said cap and said plate for producing planetary movement of said agitator member within said container.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

AXEL OLOF ENGBERG. ERIK AHNSTR O M. 

